Chapter One:
Ayanna found himself pushed closer and closer to Nuriel as the bus filled and then he was right next to him, the nineteen-year-old’s arm over the boy’s narrow shoulders to put an inch division between Ayanna and a big man with sharp black eyes.
Ayanna's heart was pounding. He had only learned about homosexuality about a week prior and he had been claiming nearly every person that he met as a homosexual. Right now, he felt as if he was one. He could not help it. Nuriel was warm and comforting and the ride was so smooth.
Outside he could barely see a perfect summer day. All summer long he had dreamed of such a day to never find one as perfect as this one, but it had waited until summer was near its close. He stared out at the blue so gentle. If he had gone to school, he would be inside a classroom dreaming of being out in that freshness. He could hear Nuriel's heart beating rhythmically, trying to lull him. He let out a suddenly tired sigh and relaxed as his eyes closed. They were sore from straining to see out the window. He had only meant to close them for a short moment, but then he was being nudged and his eyes opened quickly to peer up at Nuriel's vibrant green eyes.
"We're there." He whispered soothingly, his voice deep and calm. "The butterfly fell asleep."
"Butterfly?" Ayanna asked in sleepy confusion. "Where are we?"
"Its just a pretty place." Nuriel cooed in Ayanna's ear. "Quiet and serene."
They left the bus and Ayanna followed Nuriel to a pathway. He did not recognize the place at all. Hills glided across the land, smooth with velvet grass and speckles of golden flowers. It looked like spring instead of the ending of summer. They walked down the path, barely worn by tender footsteps. He felt the air tickle his skin, warm as a mother's loving touch. He breathed that air and felt suddenly revived with its clean taste. It smelled of a sweet nectar that he could not recognize, like honey and butter. The sky was vibrant and stunning as the white clouds puffed on the horizon, not daring to come closer to the serenity of the view. Trees provided enough shade from the cool sun and flowers were everywhere in soft dying colors signifying their arriving burials. Nuriel was completely relaxed as they wandered around, enjoying the sights. Nuriel had been right; it was completely soothing here.
They sat down on a smooth boulder and Nuriel let out a relieved sigh. "It's beautiful here, isn't it?"
"That goes without saying." Ayanna smiled when he glanced up into their shading tree to see a bird with a bright yellow chest staring down at them. It let out a short tune before flitting away, soon joined by two others. "What is this place called?"
"It doesn't have a name that I know of." Nuriel admitted. "But I come here, with or without a name. It's also famous for butterflies to be here. All the time, no matter the season, except winter."
"I don't believe that." Ayanna shook his head surely. "Butterflies are dead this season."
"No." Nuriel grabbed Ayanna's hand and stood, tugging the boy along. "You're wrong. They're Amethyst Butterflies."
"Amethyst?" Ayanna furrowed his brows. "There is no such thing as a purple butterfly though!"
"Not that anyone knows of." Nuriel stopped and looked around for a moment. They had peaked a hill and the tallest one there. The bus stop was not even in view anymore. "Wait a moment and you'll see."
"See?" Ayanna pulled his hand from Nuriel's. Why was he blushing? "I don't think I'll see anything. Butterflies are dead this time of year. Scientists would be all over this if this was true."
"You're a factual one." Nuriel commented, looking at Ayanna with sudden disapproval.
"Of course, I am!" Ayanna blurted. "Remember? My father?"
"Oh, of course." Nuriel grabbed Ayanna's shoulders and stared down at him with a beautiful smile painted on his face, his eyes seeming to become more alive in that moment. "This is no ordinary butterfly, Ayanna. Not all can see it."
"What do you mean?" Ayanna whispered, his cheeks turning an adorable pink.
"If too many come here, they'll kill it." Nuriel seemed sad, his eyes deep and forlorn. "You'll understand, one day. Not all things are meant to be found. This place is a special place and that which is within it is also special. I...I'm going to ask you a strange question. Are you ready?"
"Ah..." Ayanna was trembling. What was going on? "Yeah...I'm ready, I guess."
"Are you ready, Ayanna?" Nuriel asked again, his eyes serious, but warm.
"Yes." Ayanna said more surely, but he was still shaking. "Yes, I'm ready."
"Do you want to return to your world?" Nuriel's voice reminded Ayanna of a butterfly's wings flitting across flower petals. It was so soft and so fleeting that Ayanna feared he would never hear it again. "Do you wish to go back to the life that you've been living?"
Ayanna was lost in Nuriel's words and his reverberating voice. "No...I wish I could never return to their stares and their words...I want nothing to do with that world, but there is nothing I can do about that..."
"Come with me." Nuriel whispered. "I know a way for us to escape this place. Will you go with me?"
"Go with you..." Ayanna felt dazed as if he was dreaming. What was happening? He could see that the world around them was changing, but he could not pull his eyes from Nuriel's. He never wanted to leave those eyes and the promise that they offered. "I...I want to go with you...anywhere."
"There will be tears." Nuriel warned softly. "There will trials and more pain than you could imagine. Are you willing to suffer that for this new world? To leave your old one?"
"I'm like a butterfly, impaled with a needle." Ayanna found himself whispering. "I want to scream, but only flutter my wings. I'm a specimen of unspoken pain, beautifully displayed upon the science room wall. I'll never be free. I'll suffer alone. I am all, but forgotten. I can do nothing at all."
"That was..." Nuriel seemed in a trance now. "Beautiful, Ayanna...come with me...please..."
"I will." Ayanna could feel his eyes growing heavy. "Take me...with you...anywhere..."
Then he felt the butterfly dust as it brushed across his skin...his eyes closed as their wings tingled all over his body...his heartbeat slowed to a lethargic pound, gentle and fading...his mind flowed like water and his soul slipped away to a place he would never regret venturing to, but that he would never love nor hate. Tears dripped onto his cheeks as he flew away on wings, frail as a butterfly's, strong as an amethyst stone...mauve as both.
Ayanna awoke to the sound of water trickling. He placed his hand on his head and let out a moan when he was suddenly attacked with pain. What had happened? He could not remember exactly what had occurred and could barely even remember the feeling of butterfly wings whisking him away.
"Easy." Nuriel's voice was startling and Ayanna burst up, pressing himself against the wall nearest the bed, but there was a three foot distance between the bed and the wall and he ended up falling into that.
Nuriel grabbed him and placed him upon the bed. "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you."
"Where are we?" Ayanna asked groggily. Now his butt hurt too.
"We're..." Nuriel began.
"In my house." A woman's voice interrupted and Ayanna and Nuriel turned to look at her as she came through the door way.
Her hair was black as raven feathers and her eyes steely as cold metal. With pale skin and a mighty stance, she could have been a dead queen renown for violence and ruling iron fist. Her lips were thin with an arrogant touch and her facial expression was one of stern resolution.
"I am Nesuna." The woman continued with an air of extreme dignity. "Welcome to your new world. You will discover that it is actually the same world, but now you have a purpose. Of course, you needed someone to take you here and to partner up with. I find it interesting that you're both male. That doesn't happen often, but it does happen so don't get me wrong. What's your name, boy?"
"Ayanna Stanton." Ayanna replied, his voice betraying his confusion. What was she talking about?
"Ayanna you may keep." The woman stated factually. "But Stanton must go. And you, man?"
"Nuriel Darington." Nuriel answered, his eyes sharper than they were before. What was going on?
"Nuriel you may keep." The woman let out a flustered sigh. "But you are forbidden to keep Darington. Interesting. I wonder what name you will choose. You have an hour to choose a name for the both of you."
"For both of us?" Ayanna yelped. "What? But then it will seem as if we're related!"
"You can pretend you're brothers to the rest of the world." Nesuna snapped in agitation. "But you will be partners to the rest of us who know. You are "married" now so get used to living with each other. You did this on purpose, correct?"
"Huh?" Ayanna's head really hurt now.
"You didn't tell him?" Nesuna looked at Nuriel accusingly.
"I hinted around the idea." Nuriel replied with a vague shrug. "The only one for me is Ayanna. If I asked him completely then he wouldn't come. So I asked him vaguely."
"You're cunning, Nuriel." Nesuna growled. "That is a good trait, but you shouldn't use it on your lover."
“Lover!" Ayanna jumped to his feet, wobbled, and fell, but Nuriel caught him. "What is going on?"
"All will be explained." The woman headed for the door. "Claim a name."
She left without another word and then Ayanna was looking at Nuriel. The man had yet to release him, but Ayanna did not care.
He was fine being held by Nuriel, but he felt awkward. "What does she mean?"
"We must choose a name." Nuriel shrugged. "What do you think? Something pretty for you."
"Hard and deceitful for you." Ayanna snapped and Nuriel laughed.
"I'm sorry." Nuriel held Ayanna in a sudden embrace. "I shouldn't have tricked you, but you thought the same as me so I figured you wouldn't mind to much."
"I mind!" Ayanna barked then relaxed. "But only that you deceived me."
"I'm sorry." Nuriel gave Ayanna a squeeze. "Stonecold"
"That sounds sad." Ayanna whispered. “Something softer."
"Tendercold" Nuriel shrugged and Ayanna approved silently. "We'll tell her that then."
"Can you tell me what is going on?" Ayanna closed his eyes as he now returned the embrace. "Can you tell what is happening?"
He was too tired to fight Nuriel and too weak to accomplish anything from trying to fight the man. He knew it was wrong to consent to Nuriel’s desires, but he had no energy and no desire to actually resist him. In a strange way, he enjoyed Nuriel touching him.
"We've just begun a journey...to a new future." Nuriel let out a sigh. "I wouldn't be able to explain. Want to sit?"
"Yes."
They sat down on the bed, but Nuriel kept an arm around Ayanna. That provoked Ayanna's next question, "Nuriel, are you…gay?"
Nuriel turned red as he looked away. "Not until I met you."
"I'm not gay!" Ayanna yelped franticly.
"So?" Nuriel looked down at Ayanna with his beautiful eyes. "You want to become gay? I want to. I want to be with you, Ayanna."
Ayanna felt his cheeks heating up. "You're crazy." He meant what he said too.
"I know." Nuriel closed his eyes and hung his head. "But I really want to be with you, Ayanna. You're…not only beautiful, but also...so...alive...and you agree with me. We...think alike. I like the way you can smile at the song of a bird and the way you observe and the way you can relax inside my embrace. I want to protect you. I want to be yours. I want to love you, Ayanna. Can't I?"
Ayanna hesitated, uncertain, then placed his hands upon Nuriel's cheeks. The man's eyes slid open into sad slits. "You are perverted. I want to be with you too, Nuriel. I don’t want to be gay though. Let's be together...okay? Don't you remember...what I said...back there...I want to go with you...anywhere…just don‘t be perverted!"
Nuriel offered a warm happier smile and then they were hugging.
"Have you chosen a name?" Nesuna's voice interrupted them.
"Yes." Nuriel stood. "Tendercold."
"Tendercold?" Nesuna smiled, her face abruptly kind and far more beautiful than it had been. "What a sad name. It can be a strength and a weakness. Let us hope it binds you. A good name, though, young ones."
"Is it?" Ayanna whispered. "I thought so."
"Come with me." Nesuna turned gracefully, her commanding demeanor returning. "I will take you to the master. He will teach you all that you desire to know."